[CENTER][SIZE="3"][color="Navy"]The War of the Fourth Coalition[/color][/size]

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Casus BelliThe Fourth Coalition (1806–1807) of Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and the United Kingdom against France formed within months of the collapse of the Third Coalition. Prussia joined the coalition fearing the rise in French power and influence in Germany after their defeat of Austria and Russia at Austerlitz.

In July, 1806 Napoleon formed the Confederation of the Rhine out of the numerous German states which constituted the Rhineland and most other parts of western Germany. He amalgamated many of the smaller states into larger electorates, duchies and kingdoms to make the governance of non-Prussian Germany more efficient. Napoleon also elevated the rulers of the two largest Confederation states, Saxony and Bavaria, to the status of kings.

[CENTER]Friedrich Wilhelm III[/CENTER]

Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia longed to control the Electorate of Hanover which the French had occupied since 1803. Napoleon demanded and seized the Prussian principalities of Cleves, Ansbach, and Neuchatel, for which Prussia was to receive Hanover. As an added insult Napoleon offered Hanover back to England during protracted peace negotiations before the treaty with Prussia had been finalized. While the response to the offer in England was less than enthusiastic, the effect in Berlin was electric. Queen Louise of Prussia, head of the 'War Party' at court, was outraged and it is said that the King finally relented to war only after she persistently denied him his 'conjugal rights.'

[CENTER]Queen Louise[/CENTER]

On August 7, the decision to go to war was secretly made and a search for allies began. On the 10th of August Prussia mobilized. On the 6th of September Prussia began to occupy Saxony to keep it out of the Confederation of the Rhine. It was then that reports finally filtered back to Napoleon that Prussian hotheads had been sharpening their swords against the steps of the French Embassy in Berlin and a warning was belatedly sent to Prussia to not occupy Saxony under threat of war.

[CENTER]The Prussian Gardes de Corps sharpen their swords on the steps of the French Embassy in Berlin 1806[/CENTER]

Prussian Preparations & War PlansThe weakest attribute of the Prussian Army lay not with its men but with it's commanders. Along with three Chiefs of Staff there were personal animosities and ambitions to contend against. It took from August 10 to early September for the field armies to be organized. One under the Duke of Brunswick of about 75,000 men based on Magdeburg. The second was commanded by Prince Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenlohe of about 42,000, including the assimilated 18,000 man Saxon Army, in Dresden, Saxony. A third of 29,000 men was formed in southern Brunswick near Mulhausen north of Erfurt commanded by Generals Blücher and Rüchel. In East Prussia General Lestocq commanded 25,000 men.

[CENTER]Prince Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenlohe

Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Herzog zu Braunschweig-Lüneburg[/CENTER]

As to how to use the army...no more than five different plans were put forward. Colonel Gerhard von Sharnhorst put forward a most sensible plan to delay the French in holding actions in the Thüringerwald Forest, along the Elbe, or even on the Oder if necessary until the Russian Army of 120,000 under General Count Levin Bennigsen arrived, if Napoleon were to attack before a Prussian attack was ready. This was promptly assailed as 'an affront to the army's honor' and shelved. Hohenlohe's plan was to concentrate the army around Erfurt and Hof (near Plauen), wait to discern Napoleon's line of attack and then outflank them. This too was vetoed as to defensive (although subsequently this was not to far removed from what would occur historically by circumstance.) The Duke of Brunswick advocated an aggressive move southwest from Erfurt through Würzburg towards Stuttgart against the French encampments. When this was favored, Hohenlohe suggested a modified plan to attack from Hof towards Würzburg. The King finally intervened and imposed a compromise plan between Brunswick's and Hohenlohe's. Plans were drawn up and preliminary orders had been given when on September 27 the council of war reversed course and endorsed the Duke of Brunswick's original plan, causing chaos as the military bureaucracy ground to a halt as new orders were drawn up, sent, and regiments moved yet again.

On October 5th the news that Napoleon was advancing from the Würzburg area with a large force towards Saxony threw the Army command into confusion as to what to do. Should the Prussians draw up behind the Saale, or should all three armies converge on Leipzig? Nobody however reverted to Scharnhort's plan, and he later lamented, 'What we ought to do I know right well; what we shall do, only the gods know.'

My armies are spread out across central Germany on an arc from Aue in Saxony to Mulhausen to Kassel. Prince Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenlohe commands the 42,000 men of the Preussen Armee at Aue. He is an average leader with two positive and two negative attributes. First is the dispirited leader; commander is absolutely not charismatic in the eyes of his men or is a defeatist. -5 Maximum Cohesion to the Force if the commander, -25% to Cohesion Recovery Rate. Ouch! Not someone to keep in command for very long. The second is Staffer;+1 Command Point per level, even if NOT in command. (If in a force with an Army HQ, Subordinate corps also receive this bonus.) A great ability to have, but with his stats he should probably serve as the second in command of an Army. Third is Defensive Commander; Increases Defensive Fire value by 10%. Applies to all elements in the Force/Unit. Once again a good trait to have. Finally Slow Mover. Decreases speed by 25%. Applies to all elements in the Force. Hohenlohe is also way over his command limit so I will have to reorganize his command.

In Mulhausen is the Elbe Army of 34,000 men is commanded by the Herzog zu Braunschweig-Lüneburg, or as he will be referred to here, Brunswick. He is a sub par leader with 1 positive and three negative abilities which should preclude him from any command. First is Charismatic; If the commader +5 to maximum cohesion and a +25% increase in the fatigue recovery rate of units under his command. Second is Quickly Angered; This general is Quickly Angered and is often having arguments with his subordinates. -4 Command Points to the Force he commands and to subordinate Corps. Third is Slow Mover again and fourth is Dispersed Move; This General (If the Commander) has the bad habit of letting his troops move in disorder, thus reducing how they can effectively patrol the region or conceal their approach. -25% to Evasion and Patrol, -1 to hiding value of the whole force if moving. Clearly he is unsuited to command, but I have no other options.

On a positive note General Blücher commands the Cavalry Brigade.

In Braunschweig (Brunswick) is the 16,000 man Reserve Korps of the Elbe Army commanded by General Friedrich von Kalckreuth. He is an average commander with 3 positive and one negative ability. First is the Brave ability; Increases Cohesion by 10%. Applies to allelements in the unit. If the Commander, applies to all elements inthe force. Second is Fort Defender; Provides 1 point siege bonus to the whole force when defending in a fort. Third is Slow Mover and fourth is the Militiaman ability; Raises discipline value by 1, increases Cohesion by 10. Applies to all Militia Elements in the Force/Unit. While his ratings are not the best, His abilities make him one of the better Corps Commanders available to the Prussian Army.

In Magdeburg is General Würtemberg commanding 15,000 men. He is an average commander with no special abilities. In Hanover is Saxon Brigadier General Lecoq with 6500 men. He has the Brave ability.

South of Kassel is Brigadier General Ernst von Rüchel's Independant Korps of 18,000 men. Rüchel has great ratings but three negative abilities. First is Over Cautious; This Commander is extremely cautious and will often act slowly if not in friendly territory. (-1 CP Modifier and will be inactive if he rolls a percent dice under current military control.) Second is our old favorite Slow Mover followed by Dispersed Move.

And finally out in East Prussia is Major General L'Estoq commanding 16,000 men. He is locked for 20 turns but is a great commander with the Brave and Fast Mover abilities to go along with decent ratings

[SIZE="3"][CENTER][color="Navy"][U]Turn One September 16-21, 1806[/color][/U][/size]

Queen Louise was much admired by the Army[/CENTER]

Prussian OrdersThe Prussian Army's pride prevented it from adopting Colonel Sharnhorst's plan to trade space for time until a link up could occur with the Russians. Retreat was tantamount to defeat and would not even be considered. Therefore the Prussian Army played itself into Napoleons hands. I however am under no such illusions of the glory of the attack. We will run and try to preserve as much of our Army as we can. I will trade the loss of National Morale for lost cities to try and keep units as whole as possible.

First up is Hohenlohe's Army in Saxony. It has a 35% command penalty and no amount of restructuring will lessen it. Plus Hohenlohe is inactive this turn. Therefore I am dividing his command up into it's component Divisions along with two independent commands of light cavalry, and we are falling back to Breslau in Silesia. All commands are placed in Defensive Mode with a ROE of Retreat if Engaged; active commands also have the Evade Combat order as well as Force March orders. On average my cavalry units will take 8-10 days to reach Breslau, while my slow infantry will take over two weeks.

Brunswick's Division commanders are all Inactive this turn and a retreat to Berlin will take 19 days for the infantry. Blücher takes all of Brunswick's cavalry with orders to reach Cottbus and screen the southern approaches to Berlin. Wüttemberg's Command at Magdeburg becomes a Korps of Brunswick's Army of the Elbe lowering his command malus from 35% to 20%. A further shifting of units eliminates the malus completely. He is ordered to meet with Blücher at Cottbus and should arrive in 13 days. Kalckreuth's Korps is ordered from Braunschweig to meet Brunswick's Army at Berlin and should arrive in 12 days. Lecoq 's force is in Hanover is ordered to Berlin as well.

Rüchel's 'Korps' is split into three Divisions and ordered to to make their way to Bremen for evacuation by sea.

I am expecting to take a hit in Saxony as Napoleon should easily reach almost to Dresden this turn. Now we just have to pray. Gott mit uns.

[CENTER][SIZE="3"][color="Navy"]Turn Two September 22-30, 1806[/color][/size]

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Positions and OrdersSaxony/Silesia

Blücher has reached Cottbus and is shifted to Defensive/Retreat. He will also destroy the Depot there. General Tauentzien Saxon Division is the only one of infantry that managed to escape across the Elbe and will arrive in Breslau this turn. The Prussian Light Cavalry and General Zezschwitz I's Saxon Cavalry also escaped and will arrive this turn. Unfortunately Hohenlohe and the greater part of his army were caught before the could cross the Elbe and retreated back to Chemnitz without engaging, but I am fully expecting them to be wiped out this turn.

Hanover/Braunschweig/Brandenburg

The Elbe Army under Brunswick is mired in mud this turn and it is estimated it will take 24 days to reach Berlin. Kalckreuth's Korps and Lecoq's Force will arrive in Berlin in 11 and 10 days respectively and Wartensleben's division in Halberstadt arrive in 10 days. Würtemberg's Korps reaches Cottbus and Blücher this turn. Rüchel and Winnig's divisions reached Hanover enroute to their arrival this tun in Bremen but Sachs-Weimar's Division was caught by Lannes and Lefebvre's Corps in Gottingin. I expect him to be captured or destroyed this turn.

French forces at DresdenDresden has fallen and the bulk of the French army is concentrated here. They are in position to destroy Hohenlohe, sweep north to Berlin, or East to Breslau this turn.

[CENTER][SIZE="3"][color="Navy"]Turn Three October 1-7, 1806 [/color][/size]

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[B]Dispositions and Orders[/B]

Destruction of Hohenlohe

Look at the Upper Right symbol on the French Lower Right side of the panel. This indicates the number of prisoners captured by the French. In the first battle 2800 (28x100) men surrendered, 2500 in the second, and 2200 in Dresden. When units surrender you lose their elements from your force pool versus casualties which can be returned to your replacement pool. They will be missed.

Silesia

In Silesia I have joined one of my Prussian Cavalry Detachments to Zezschwitz's Cavalry Division who in conjunction with Tauntzien's Infantry Division will move to Hirschberg and take up defensive position behind the Spree River. The other Cavalry Detachment will move to Warsaw to escort a supply convoy enroute from Kustrin.

Hanover/Braunschweig/Brandenburg

Brunswick is free of the Mud and is force marching to Cottbus. Blücher joins Würtemberg's Korps there after destroying the depot. Lecoq activates allowing me to form his command into a division and join him with Kalckreuth's Korps marching to Cottbus as well, hopefully arriving in 7 days. Wartensleben's division will arrive there this turn. Sachs-Weimar avoids Lannes and arrives at Hannover. He is ordered to Berlin via Madgeburg.

Würtembergs Korps at Cottbus

Rüchel and Winnig's divisions arrived at Bremen and are being evacuated to Stettin.

The main French Army is at Dresden with Berthier at Leipzig which fell this turn. Lannes continues his move north towards Hannover. National Morale has taken a hit but I will have to accept it for now. I sign orders for an Offensive (Nonactive Generals get an extra roll for Activation) and drafting more troops from depots.